Make Your Own Beef Jerky

Beef jerky is one of those snacks I used to think of as terribly unhealthy. I didn’t see how it could come from anything but a plastic bag full of CAFO meat and synthetic dyes and flavors. Add to that, it seemed ridiculously expensive. Come to find out, healthy beef jerky is really easy to make. It’s a high protein, nutrient-dense, portable, cost effective snack that takes about 5 minutes of prep time!

39 comments to Make Your Own Beef Jerky

Okay, I LOVE to eat beef jerkey….especially if it’s organic. Okay, so I’m really stretching it here, BUT is there way to make a version in the oven? I don’t have a dehydrator and can’t afford one…but I’m just asking. If it’s better to save up for one of these things, I’ll do that 😉 🙂 🙂 Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 🙂

You can do it in the oven if you can keep it about 165 degrees and propped open. If you have an oven thermometer it’ll be easier. I’ve also seen people rig up dehydrators with box fans, too, but haven’t tried it myself. I do think a food dehydrator is worth getting, for so many reasons! We love ours and it has definitely paid for itself in jerky, dried fruit, and nuts! Dehydrators are something a lot of people buy and don’t use, so you might be able to find a good deal on a used one.

I make my own jerky in the same dehydrator, but I usually use sliced, marinated grass-fed beef. The idea of using ground beef is intriguing, though. It’s certainly a lot easier to get. I think I might give it a try on my next batch.

hmmm… ground beef sounds interesting! I typically use sliced shoulder or bottom round and maringade in allegro for 12 hrs before drying… ADDICTIVE! if the ground beef can cheapen/speed up the process, count me in!

Well I just tried this yesterday and I am sold! 1/3 of the expense, 1/3 of the time, and easy cleanup while maintaining nearly identical flavor and texture to using sliced beef. AMAZING! TY soooo much TinyHands! Ps, definitely try the Allegro hickory smoked marinade 🙂

Mmmm I love beef jerky but my dehydrator doesn’t go up to 165 it stops at 145 (I have a beast of an excalibur dehydrator from the early 80s). Can I still make this recipe? Also if I buy the ground beef from the store do have to do anything with it before using it (meaning am I going to get sick at all?). Thanks,I am really looking forward to try this!

Making this jerky is truly a lifesaver for me. I just grab a handful as I go out the door. Works for a meat when I take a salad with me for lunch. I’d take sardines sometimes but there would be toooo much blowback! We have our own cattle so I’m always assured of a freezer full of healthy beef.

(Maybe the more expensive dehydrators safely overcome this, but the USDA recommends first raising beef temps to 165 before starting the dehydration process.)

From the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Why is it a food safety concern to dry meat without first heating it to 160 °F?
The danger in dehydrating meat and poultry without cooking it to a safe temperature first is that the appliance will not heat the meat to 160 °F and poultry to 165 °F — temperatures at which bacteria are destroyed — before the dehydrating process. After drying, bacteria become much more heat resistant.

Within a dehydrator or low-temperature oven, evaporating moisture absorbs most of the heat. Thus, the meat itself does not begin to rise in temperature until most of the moisture has evaporated. Therefore, when the dried meat temperature finally begins to rise, the bacteria have become more heat resistant and are more likely to survive. If these surviving bacteria are pathogenic, they can cause foodborne illness to those consuming the jerky.

Well, all I know is that I have been dehydrating jerky for friends, family and myself for 20yrs and the only complaint I ever got was that I didn’t make enough. No one has ever gotten sick, so we must be reaching temps. My ond dehydrator had a 180° setting on the dial…

[…] is also your friend, when it comes to making healthier, more delicious convenience foods for less. Beef jerky and dried fruit are our biggest money savers! Our dehydrator paid for itself the first day we had […]

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